Lead organisation
Bath & North East Somerset Council
Project description
This project will equip our Parks team with the specialist tools needed to transform limestone conservation across Bath and the surrounding region. A self-propelled mower, trailer, and specialist tyres will unlock previously unreachable sites, bringing expert management to larger verges and challenging terrain.
The impact will be substantial and measurable. By 2030, we will more than triple our conservation grassland footprint — from 11 hectares today to 41 hectares of restored priority calcareous grassland — directly contributing to the national 30by30 target. This investment represents more than new machinery; it is a long-term shift in how we manage and nurture landscapes, delivering lasting ecological benefits for wildlife and communities alike.
Project location
Bath and its surrounding landscape form a vital link between priority habitats in the southern Cotswolds and the wider Big Chalk Programme area. By connecting remnant calcareous grasslands within and around the city, this project strengthens biodiversity networks, resilience, and ecosystem function at a landscape scale.
Fit with the Big Chalk Programme
By restoring vibrant, species-rich calcareous grasslands in a predominantly urban setting, this project embodies the Big Chalk vision: connecting nature, people, and place to build thriving, resilient landscapes. It supports the West of England Local Nature Recovery Strategy and the 30x30 target, demonstrating that bold, collaborative, and sustainable action can deliver measurable conservation outcomes.
Wider social and environmental considerations
This project goes beyond habitat creation — it reconnects people with nature. Expanded grassland management will create living, biodiverse spaces where wildlife can thrive and communities can experience the restorative power of the natural world.
By sharing our insights and successes with Highways teams and the West of England Nature Partnership, we are spreading best practice and multiplying impact far beyond Bath. Combined with rigorous monitoring and adaptive management, every hectare managed through this project will deliver lasting ecological gains and inspire future conservation across the region.
The Big Chalk programme and Nature Recovery Fund is funded through the Protected Landscapes Partnership, supported by Defra.
Do you have a project that could strengthen the future of southern England’s iconic chalk and limestone landscapes?
The Big Chalk programme brings together a dynamic suite of partner-led projects, each unique in its focus, area, and partnerships but sharing a commitment to our collective vision.
If your project contributes to the Big Chalk mission, we invite you to register it as a Big Chalk Project. Registered projects gain access to networking, shared learning, and best practice—alongside the Big Chalk brand, boosting your profile and connecting you to a powerful, growing network of partners.
Together, these projects form a united effort to secure the future of southern England’s chalk and limestone landscapes, making a lasting impact for nature and communities.